Today, we started on the right bank, and ended on the left. I wanted to go to the Le Marche' des Enfants Rouges (a covered market not far from us), but we never found it. I don't know how we could miss it as I had the street address, but there you go... Next I wanted to go to a long skinny park that runs from Place de Bastille up to Republic. So we walked up to Place de la Republique - well, I can tell you to skip this area. Although the place is important to Parisians, it is not a nice area. And the park was nothing to visit until you get near Bastille - then it got a bit nicer. So the morning didn't start so well, but it improved.
After Bastille, there is a canal - Bassin de l'Arsenal (which typically means it was once an area where they stored weapons). It is now a marina of sorts. As we were there, a boat taxied out through the locks into the Seine. We followed and crossed the river to Jardin de Plantes - a nice park that includes the museum of natural history and a zoo. There are also lots of different plants (as the name suggests). It is a nice park and not so crowded as Luxembourg and Tuilerie Gardens. From there we walked over to the Latin Quarter and visited the Pantheon (above). It is a pretty impressive building, and also not particularly crowded. It is right next to the University of Paris, and also close to the Sorbonne - maybe students are away. It was nice to be in areas not quite as busy our neighborhood. We stopped afterwards at a pub for lunch (complete with waitress that quickly switched from French to English with the accent and all). The fish and chips, and steak pie were also a nice change of pace from baguettes and formage... We also had an excellent cheesecake for desert! I think we shall return there on a Sunday for their roast beef or lamb dinner! (And the beers are cheaper than most Paris locations!)
If you already, looked at the last post for Bastille Day, check it again for a picture of the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. Cheers.
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